Wren is a hardworking archaeologist on his first vacation in years. While he’s tempted to look for ancient artifacts, this is Maui and he needs to focus on taking it easy. So it’s off to the beach to relax. There Wren dives into trouble, literally. Luckily, the backward roll and breathing techniques he learned studying Ninjutsu saves his life, because the shore break called Satan’s Washing Machine grinds him up and spits him out, temporarily blinded and badly battered. A karate dojo owner named Steven takes him to a doctor, a pharmacy, and then back to the beach, only to find Wren’s car and all his belongings have been stolen. So Steven invites him home instead. Will their mutual love of martial arts lead to other a deeper relationship? Or will their shared desire for humbleness and respect for others keep them from falling in love?

Beyond Black Belt

Steven stopped holding me and drying my tears when they came to take him to X-ray. Yep, he was consoling me even though he was the one hurt. I was so in love by then that I wanted to kill him. But then, I’d have to live without him, and I no longer believed I could do that.


We were at the ER for hours, and Steven was looked at and looked into and looked after. I loved him so much, I couldn’t leave his side. I told them we were married so they wouldn’t make me leave.


We heard them fussing over Bai and then heard her when she came around.


“My cat!” she screamed. “His name is Lucifer, and I’ve probably killed him!”


Chapter 17